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There's a huge world of difference both in price and appearance when one is pricing out an "H" color vs. a "K" color diamond. The diamonds shown below are both graded by EGL-USA, one is an "H" color, the other a "J" color that is more like a "K" in my opinion which is set in a ring. Both are princess shape, well cut and approximately 2 carats. The photos shown are in a pure white photobooth. Under normal lighting conditions surrounded by other objects such as skin, etc. the color variations would not be as apparent.
Nevertheless, in the photobooth the color difference is very obvious. However the price difference is also quite large, the H color costs approximately $4000 more.
The first picture below illustrates the diamond just being back-lit with diffuse lighting, this type of lighting is similar to what a gemologist would use when grading the stone because the color is much more obvious to see.
The second picture below illustrates the diamond just being lit from the front with hard direct lighting. This is more similar lighting to everyday use such as in a restaurant or at home with halogen overhead lights.
The third picture is a combination of both diffuse and direct lighting. This is similar to lighting conditions where you'd have lots of bright light with multiple sources of light such as in a well lit office building.
Is the color difference that noticeable to you? Do you think it would be as noticeable in real size? And is it worth paying $4000 extra for in a 2-carat princess for example? These are only things you can answer, some people are much more color sensitive then others. If want a "white" stone but you are trying to maximize your spend for the biggest diamond possible, and especially for fancy shapes, working with a jeweler you trust to make sure the diamond faces up nice and white is very important. A bottom heavy J color diamond will 9 times out of 10 look much more yellow then a well cut K color, and this is something numbers alone don't always tell you in a certificate. Both our customers who purchased these two diamonds were thrilled with what we were able to find for them and both got the best diamond possible for their dollar.
When purchasing wedding bands especially, most men are always looking to get something which is virtually "maintenance free" such as Titanium, etc. which is a pure metal and never needs rhodium plating like white gold would which can yellow overtime as the rhodium plating wears out. An alternative is platinum and palladium, unlike titanium they are both dense metals and heavy. If they need to be polished from scratches, it's a relatively painless experience and no material is lost in the process. The biggest advantage in our opinion is the color. Please refer to the photo below which shows the same two rings made in two different alloy configurations.
The first ring is all titanium. The difference in contrast is because the center portion is brushed and the outer portion is polished. The second is a platinum/titanium combo. The outer sections is polished platinum and the center is polished titanium. Both look very nice. Of course the price difference is very large, the titanium is only $350 and the Platinum/Titanium is $2600. If you do decide to go with Titanium for the cost savings, just be sure the color is something you'll be happy with. An alternative would be to go get 14K White Gold and Titanium for approximately $1200 but you would be rhodium plating this ring at a cost of $50 or so every 2 years or as needed. Over time the cost and the headache would be better avoided going with the all Titanium or Platinum (or Palladium) and Titanium combination instead.
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What's the Difference Between...?
1. "Near White" (H color) Vs."Slightly Tinted" (K color)
There's a huge world of difference both in price and appearance when one is pricing out an "H" color vs. a "K" color diamond. The diamonds shown below are both graded by EGL-USA, one is an "H" color, the other a "J" color that is more like a "K" in my opinion which is set in a ring. Both are princess shape, well cut and approximately 2 carats. The photos shown are in a pure white photobooth. Under normal lighting conditions surrounded by other objects such as skin, etc. the color variations would not be as apparent.
Nevertheless, in the photobooth the color difference is very obvious. However the price difference is also quite large, the H color costs approximately $4000 more.
The first picture below illustrates the diamond just being back-lit with diffuse lighting, this type of lighting is similar to what a gemologist would use when grading the stone because the color is much more obvious to see.
The second picture below illustrates the diamond just being lit from the front with hard direct lighting. This is more similar lighting to everyday use such as in a restaurant or at home with halogen overhead lights.
The third picture is a combination of both diffuse and direct lighting. This is similar to lighting conditions where you'd have lots of bright light with multiple sources of light such as in a well lit office building.
Is the color difference that noticeable to you? Do you think it would be as noticeable in real size? And is it worth paying $4000 extra for in a 2-carat princess for example? These are only things you can answer, some people are much more color sensitive then others. If want a "white" stone but you are trying to maximize your spend for the biggest diamond possible, and especially for fancy shapes, working with a jeweler you trust to make sure the diamond faces up nice and white is very important. A bottom heavy J color diamond will 9 times out of 10 look much more yellow then a well cut K color, and this is something numbers alone don't always tell you in a certificate. Both our customers who purchased these two diamonds were thrilled with what we were able to find for them and both got the best diamond possible for their dollar.
2. White Metals (Platinum, Palladium, etc.) Vs. Titanium (Moderately Grey)
When purchasing wedding bands especially, most men are always looking to get something which is virtually "maintenance free" such as Titanium, etc. which is a pure metal and never needs rhodium plating like white gold would which can yellow overtime as the rhodium plating wears out. An alternative is platinum and palladium, unlike titanium they are both dense metals and heavy. If they need to be polished from scratches, it's a relatively painless experience and no material is lost in the process. The biggest advantage in our opinion is the color. Please refer to the photo below which shows the same two rings made in two different alloy configurations.
The first ring is all titanium. The difference in contrast is because the center portion is brushed and the outer portion is polished. The second is a platinum/titanium combo. The outer sections is polished platinum and the center is polished titanium. Both look very nice. Of course the price difference is very large, the titanium is only $350 and the Platinum/Titanium is $2600. If you do decide to go with Titanium for the cost savings, just be sure the color is something you'll be happy with. An alternative would be to go get 14K White Gold and Titanium for approximately $1200 but you would be rhodium plating this ring at a cost of $50 or so every 2 years or as needed. Over time the cost and the headache would be better avoided going with the all Titanium or Platinum (or Palladium) and Titanium combination instead.